On July 8, 2008, the premier issue of Suffolk Arts+Sciences received a 2008 APEX Award for Publication Excellence.

The 20^th annual APEX Awards program recognizes excellence in publications work by professional communicators. APEX Awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence.

In the 2008 awards competition, 4,479 entries were evaluated, with 837 entries in the Magazines & Journals category. Suffolk Arts+Sciences magazine was one of 11 recipients of the APEX Award of Excellence in the New Magazines & Journals category.

Additional winners in this category include Time Inc. Content Solutions in NYC, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in San Francisco, and the Pohly Company in Boston.

“Each year, the quality of entries increases,” the judges wrote. “Overall, this year’s entries displayed an extraordinary level of quality. The APEX judges saw only the most promising publications that professional communicators could enter. Many of the award-winning entries in this and earlier APEX competitions are classic examples of good ideas, imaginatively executed, despite limitations due to tight budgets, limited resources and small staff.”

For more information, visit http://www.apexawards.com.

The magazine received the Gold EXCEL Award for the Most Improved Newsletter to Magazine category. “The Suffolk Arts & Sciences newsletter made quite a transformation. Its content, photos and inclusion of a range of alumni, students and faculty were simply beautiful,” noted contest judges.

The magazine was also selected as one of four overall winners to receive the EXTRA! Award for pioneering, cutting edge, publishing excellence. EXTRA! award winners are chosen from among the EXCEL winners for pushing the edge of the envelope further and taking bold chances to innovate in an ever-changing publishing environment.

“Anybody should aspire to create a magazine like this, much less go from a fairly ordinary newsletter to a publication of this quality,” said the EXTRA! award judges. “They show that they care about the reader. The photography is beautiful, and the perspective in the photos is notable. We appreciate the imagery and the message they are conveying. Looking at this magazine makes you want to visit the campus. It is compelling and inviting. It makes you want to go there.” (more…)

• “Coach” Jim Nelson, known affectionately as the mayor of Suffolk, the most popular guy at Suffolk, and the nicest human being on earth. Writer Dan Morrell tells the story of this legendary teacher, athletic director and former basketball coach. With photography by Mark Ostow.

• Greg Hazelwood, history teacher at Brockton High School–the largest public high school in the state–and mentor of many young students. Hazelwood recalls his former professor, Bob Bellinger in the History department, who was an inspiring presence for him. The story illustrates the staying power of teaching and mentoring across the generations. Photography by Mark Ostow.

• Students’ alternative winter break trip to El Salvador, written and photographed by Thomas Gearty, who traveled with the students. Tom tells of former Massachusetts congressman and Suffolk alumnus Joe Moakley’s connection to El Salvador, the culture of this tiny war-torn country, and the students’ community service work helping residents build La Concha, a community gathering place, in time for an annual peace festival.

• A story about Infinity, Finding Common Ground, a play written by theatre students Rachel Kelsey and Purnima Baldwin. Photographed by Ken Martin and Kindra Clineff, the story explores the creation and production of the play performed outside on the Boston Common in April. Written about homelessness in the local area and beyond, the students were committed to raising social awareness through the art of performance one more time before graduating in May.

There’s so much more, from a new Faculty Innovations & Excellence section, to Students in the Community, to NESADSU objets d’art in The Gallery, alumni happenings, and the ever popular Then & Now pages. Stay tuned for more details and look for the new issue in July!

“In a year with a record-breaking number of entries, it was more difficult than ever to win an award, but you did. Your submission displayed superior quality and truly is The Best and the Brightest in the association community.”

The award will be recognized at the 28th EXCEL Awards Gala on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., and will be announced as either a Gold, Silver or Bronze EXCEL Award at that time.

• Alternative Spring Break (March 15-17)–Boston Heritage Apartments
• Alternative Winter Break–El Salvador
• Service Day (April 11)
• Best Buddies
• Up Til Dawn
• SOULS projects

Tell us the projects you’re involved in. Post your photos. Share the stories of your experiences. Let us know the projects that need additional support.

Or maybe you’re a faculty member or advisor and you know of students who are hard at work in the community. We’d like to hear from you, too.

We have pages in the next issue of the magazine dedicated to students who dedicate themselves to others as part of their educational experience at Suffolk. We’d like to talk to these students and include them in a photo essay illustrating service learning and community involvement.

If you’re interested in participating, or if you have someone to suggest, please leave your ideas as comments or email us at casnews@suffolk.edu during the month of February. Thanks!

With the success of the print magazine, why go digital?

Digital publishing helps to distribute print materials in an easy-to-read format over email and the Internet using standard Web browsers. This enables the magazine to be read by anyone visiting the Web site, and presents a seamless and enjoyable reading experience that simulates flipping through the pages of a hard-copy publication. (more…)

Hello! Suffolk Arts+Sciences magazine was very well received when it was launched in July of 2007. To read the premier issue, click here.

Work on the second issue is underway, with feature stories about Alternative Winter Break, Athletic Director Jim Nelson, Brockton High School teacher Greg Hazelwood, and more.

As always, we welcome your ideas and feedback. Do you know of a College of Arts and Sciences graduate who is doing interesting and “good work” somewhere? If so, please let us know, either by posting a comment or sending an email to casnews@suffolk.edu. We’ll need your suggestions by January 25, 2008 to be considered for the 2008 issue.

Thanks for your interest and support!